Premium car manufacturer Audi has recalled nearly 5,000 cars in Europe to fix problems with the emission control software which emitted nitrogen oxide beyond the permissible limit. The dieselgate scandal by its parent company in 2015 had been put to rest in the US. However, this time around Audi has reported the matter to Germany's road transport authority KBA, which was concerned about the possible illegal manipulation of emission levels.

Audi has stated that it will update the software in 4,997 units of the A8 which are powered by the 4.2 litre V8 diesel engines. Report further indicates that around 3,660 are in Germany and were made between September 2013 and August 2017. The company will begin updating the software in a phased manner which will begin in the first quarter of 2018. Reports indicate that the update will ensure that during cold engine starts, it will be capable of quickly reaching optimal operating conditions for the exhaust-gas treatment system so that its emissions are improved in real driving conditions. The company will also ensure that the new upgrade does not affect the fuel consumption or performance.

The dieselgate scam in 2015 had Volkswagen in the news where it was found to have illegally manipulated engine software to meet nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions standards in laboratory testing but not in real-world conditions. However, in real world conditions, it was found that Volkswagen vehicles could emit up to 40 times more than the permissible limits. The company had also witnessed a sharp 20 per cent drop in shares when the scandal was revealed.